Jagielka angling for return against Brighton

Phil Jagielka is hoping to retake his place in Everton's line-up this coming weekend when Everton face Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League.

The veteran defender has missed almost a month of action after picking up a hamstring problem and that has left Ronald Koeman short-handed at the back, particularly given that Michael Keane was also recently sidelined with a foot injury.

Jagielka is fit again now, though, and he wants to be at the heart of the Blues' attempts to turn their form around following an increasingly disappointing start to 2017-18. Everton have won just two of their first seven Premier League games, have yet to win in the group stages of the Europa League, and face a daunting task at Stamford Bridge towards the end of the month as they look to progress to the fifth round of the League Cup.

“The injury is all good now,” Jagielka says on evertonfc.com. “The Burnley game came a day or two too early, but with the international break, hopefully training will go well and I will be pushing for selection.”

Should he return to the starting XI, Jagielka would take the captain's armband off Leighton Baines who has also been at the club for a decade now.

“[It] is always the case [that the experienced players need to lead by example],”Jagielka continued. “Leighton has taken that onto the pitch in the past few games.

“He has been one of our best players and shown the way forward. That is all you can do. We all try to help motivate each other off the pitch but when the game starts it is all about doing the right things.

“It is a massive role for the captain, vice-captain and experienced players: to go out there and show that leadership through our performances.

“And, hopefully, once we get back from the international break we will put together a decent run and everyone will forget about the sticky start we have had.”

Reader Comments (35)

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Darren Hind 1Posted
09/10/2017 at
20:27:19

"We all try to help motivate each other"? Fuckinell. That's right up there with Teresa May's idea of being "Naughty"

Glad to hear the players realise we had actually started the season proper, because it looks like you are all in pre-season mode out on the pitch. Carry on like this until Christmas, we will all be hoping to avoid a full on relegation scrap.

Saying that, I expect Koeman to be "mutually consented" after the Arsenal game at the latest.

Tom Bowers 3Posted
09/10/2017 at
20:31:35

Hope he can help a leaky back four. Gylfi just scored a nice goal for Iceland.

Colin Glassar 4Posted
09/10/2017 at
20:32:03

Lol Darren. I think Jagielka and co were born in the wrong era. Jags has been a great servant, and hes miles better than that donkey Williams, but hes too nice for his own good. Bainsey too.

Kunal Desai 5Posted
09/10/2017 at
21:02:50

Bring Jags back for Sunday  Williams fucked up yet again, giving Ireland the lead. Deary me, Williams needs a long-term break. The guys is such a liability.

David Barks 6Posted
09/10/2017 at
21:04:23

David Barks 7Posted
09/10/2017 at
21:04:23

In red or blue, Williams finds a way to screw up. Sorry Wales, but we know how you feel.

Colin Glassar 8Posted
09/10/2017 at
21:08:05

Ever since Williams went all Sideshow Bob, he's been crap. Maybe a haircut could do it for him.

Kim Vivian 9Posted
09/10/2017 at
21:08:34

You're right, David, but what the fuck was the goalkeeper thinking about? Stitched Williams up.

David Barks 10Posted
09/10/2017 at
21:19:15

Kim,

He was probably thinking he is an International level defender who can handle being fed the ball to move it up field. Maybe?

Lee Jackson 11Posted
09/10/2017 at
21:27:59

I see the U23s just beat Portsmouth in the Premier League Cup. This comment stood out for me in relation to the winning goal:

"Brilliant from Garbutt again, charging forward down the left and leaving Jack Chandler in his slipstream."

Maybe Garbutt will be worth another chance if Baines continues his rapid decline. Just a thought.

Kim Vivian 12Posted
09/10/2017 at
21:43:33

Pleased for Seamus.

And yes, Garbutt is worth a shot back in the first team.

Colin Glassar 13Posted
09/10/2017 at
21:46:30

I was hoping Seamus would be able to rest next summer, Kim. Still, they have a playoff to win first.

Don Alexander 14Posted
09/10/2017 at
21:51:40

Well said Darren (#1), but "a sledgehammer" would only upset the delicate "boys" still populating it, and according to some that's anathema for a modern-day squad. Wouldn't want them to be upset would we?

Kim Vivian 15Posted
09/10/2017 at
21:54:22

Yes indeed, Colin. But I meant because he's had to sit out the last half of the campaign and he's still in with a chance of a World Cup, because it won't happen in 2022.

Tony Everan 16Posted
09/10/2017 at
22:01:19

A sledgehammer? It needs a few of Kim Jong Un's scuddies to wake the fuckers up.

Frank Wade 17Posted
09/10/2017 at
22:05:19

Need to get Jags in for Williams soon. Put him under pressure and he will deliver an error as he did again when losing the ball to Hendrick tonight.

Mark Morrissey 18Posted
09/10/2017 at
22:09:20

Have we not sacked Koeman yet? Zzzzz... Wake me up when we have. Until then, I sleep.

Hywel Owen 19Posted
09/10/2017 at
22:29:22

There was a time when the centre-half was a stopper  an honest to goodness player who knew his own limitations. Now, thanks to crap coaching every player on the pitch is expected to be a Fancy Dan ball player whether they have the skill to do it or not.

Williams is such a player - he makes huge mistakes when he tries to be ball player which he most definitely is not. Blame Williams if you like but surely Hennessy had no business to roll out that ball to him. Him of all people.

Maybe I am getting old but I remember real centre halves like Jack Charlton. Ireland did not try to be clever on the ball in their penalty area. Imagine what Roy Keane would do to Messrs Williams and Hennessey.

As a Wales supporter who remembers watching Kelsey etc play I am not surprised or disappointed  that sentiment is long gone!!

Shaun McGough 20Posted
09/10/2017 at
22:32:41

Oh my word... has anyone just seen Williams's latest calamity for Wales???

Unsworth for Manager  just get your boots ready, mate, you're playing centre-half for the foreseeable. Come home, please, Per Krøldrup  we need you.

Dave Abrahams 21Posted
09/10/2017 at
23:49:22

Re Jags an his little talk, don't these players ever look at what they say? Just go out and earn your money, put a decent shift in, do your best with your feet and keep your mouths shut; most of are fed listening to the same nonsense after every poor performance.

Just go out and play for God's sake.

Paul Holmes 22Posted
10/10/2017 at
00:26:29

Hywel Owen (post #19), great post at last from somebody who understands stopper Ashley Williams. Put Williams on a man-marking job and most times the attacker will not score (he marked Lukaku out the game in the Euros semi-final against Belgium).

Ask Williams to start playing out from the back and you are asking for trouble; he is not like John Stones's silky skills, but Stones could not handle Lukaku!

Keane or Funes Mori (when he's back) will have to be the ball players; Williams and Jags are stoppers, nothing more nothing less.

Nicholas Ryan 23Posted
10/10/2017 at
02:22:24

Has anyone else noticed that, for the last 5 years or so, there seems to be an uncanny correlation, between a Jagielka injury, and a slump in form.

James Stewart 24Posted
10/10/2017 at
02:57:22

Jagielka is twice the player Williams is, always has been. If only he had less miles on the clock.

Damian Wilde 25Posted
10/10/2017 at
06:10:49

Garbutt should start, Baines has been poor for over a year, he only starts on reputation.

Tony Everan 26Posted
10/10/2017 at
09:17:36

Baines will start. He has been a shadow of his former self in the last 2 seasons I agree. Age, wear and tear, 5% slower, it all adds up.

Saying that, in The 2nd half against Burnley he looked like he was trying more than most in the team. He put in a shift at least trying to make something happen.

If he puts his mind to it, I think he still has something to offer the team this season, and next in a supporting role.

John G Davies 28Posted
10/10/2017 at
17:09:56

Garbutt isn't and never will be any where near the class of Baines. One of the best full backs in the last 10 years. He is being exposed because of no cover.

Also being asked to provide width and continuously bomb up and down the line is beyond him at this stage of his career.

An absolute steal for what we paid for him. Pound for pound, one of the best signings we have ever made.

Matthew Williams 29Posted
10/10/2017 at
17:33:57

Love Bainsey but Garbutt deserves his chance now. Best crosser of a ball since Hinchcliffe, IMHO. Time to play the youngsters to get us out of the hole we're now in. Imagine a young Blues team play with no fear!

Will Mabon 31Posted
10/10/2017 at
17:53:37

"Pound for pound one of the best signings we have ever made."

..and thankfully, never left for Man Utd on the two-way quality exchange train.

Tony Marsh 32Posted
10/10/2017 at
20:14:40

When you consider the dross we have witnessed so far this season it's ironic that both Barkley and Funes Mori without playing now appear to be world beaters.!! Never have I known Injured players improve without actually playing.

Barkley and Funes Mori are head and shoulders above the crap out there at the minute that's how pathetic we are under Koeman. Barkley and Funes both ripped to shreds by Everton fans but I would welcome both back in a heart beat.

Will Mabon 33Posted
11/10/2017 at
06:58:04

Tony, you have a point. I think the reality of ship 'em out and replace has dawned on many of its advocates. Hard enough to replace essentially a whole team in the best of circumstances I think.

When some of the replacements are not of the quality that went before, and are not given a chance to be at their best by the actions of the manager, the result is not a surprise.

If nothing else, I guess just about everyone is now disabused of the fantasy that Moshiri was gonna ride in on his charger, strip out the "Deadwood", and easily fund replacement with "Better" players, thereby setting us on a fast track for challenging the top four... all under the tutelage of a "Class" manager.

There'll be no buying the big time for EFC. Meanwhile, back to reality.

Paul Hughes 34Posted
11/10/2017 at
19:03:09

If Williams starts instead of Jags at the weekend, it's another nail in Koeman's coffin.

I also think we need a replacement for Baines lined up. He looks to me like anno domini has caught up with him.

Lee Brownlie 35Posted
12/10/2017 at
15:23:24

Read the title and thought, "Shit.. we've got a really-must-win game coming up and Jags has gone fishing?.. Must have been the managers 'Fuck it, I'm off to play golf!' example of leadership!!

Sorry. Anyway, so Baines has taken 'leading by example' onto the pitch the last few games? That it? Anyway, I think not. The only 'examples' exhibited thus far, by most, have been crap ones, and the sad irony is everyone else seems to have taken them to heart!!

Ashley Williams 'Hey, you've got to hide your head away...' body-language as he starts pulling his shirt up every time he slips up (again!) pretty much shows where we're at right now, including mentally, on the pitch!!!

Tony Abrahams 36Posted
12/10/2017 at
15:37:21

Motivate Phil? Just think about all those Evertonians, who are travelling to Brighton, on Sunday morning, with a 5AM start?

They are going to support the team they love, and it's going to cost everyone of them a right few quid. Show this to your team-mates, and then show it to your manager, and then go out on the pitch, and put in the effort that will motivate these long suffering loyal supporters. Please?

Phil Walling 37Posted
12/10/2017 at
15:57:43

I'm confident that Sunday will bring the respite we have all been praying for. We beat Bournemouth and we'll beat Brighton. It won't make Koeman a better manager but it will relieve the tension surrounding him.

I see a mini-revival to follow but reality will soon set in again. Top half will keep him in a job... for now.

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